Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) recorded the fastest growth in scheduled seat capacity among Africa’s 10 largest airports in September, with 470,000 scheduled seats.
This is according to the OAG African Aviation Market Data for September 2026.
The airport’s scheduled seat capacity was 24.1% higher than the same period last year, representing 90,600 additional scheduled seats.
OAG said MMIA recorded the fastest growth among Africa’s top 10 largest airports, ahead of Casablanca’s Mohammed V International Airport, which grew by 13.5%, adding 87,500 seats.
Cairo International Airport remained the largest, with 1.79 million scheduled seats, up 11.2% year-on-year.
MMIA ranked ninth among the top 10 largest African airports by scheduled seat capacity.
Nigeria also recorded the fastest capacity growth among Africa’s top 10 aviation markets in September.
The country added 322,800 scheduled airline seats, taking total capacity to 1.19 million, up 37.4% from 864,100 seats in September 2025.
Across Africa, scheduled airline capacity reached 25.8 million seats in September, up 9.4% year-on-year. International capacity accounted for 78% of the total, while domestic capacity increased 11.6%.
MMIA’s scheduled capacity has remained among the fastest-growing of Africa’s busiest airports over the past few months, rising from 417,622 seats in June to 480,000 in August, before easing slightly to 470,000 in September.
Nigeria’s wider aviation market also recorded strong growth during the period. In July, the country’s scheduled capacity rose 44.5% year-on-year to 1.22 million seats, while domestic capacity increased 54.8% to 921,100 seats.
Nigeria’s largest airline, Air Peace, recorded the fastest capacity growth among Africa’s top 10 airlines in September, with scheduled seat capacity rising 54.7% year-on-year to 354,804 seats.
The airline added 125,400 seats compared with September 2025 and returned to Africa’s top 10 airlines by scheduled capacity.
The Federal Government approved the establishment of the Nigeria Aircraft Leasing Company in May to improve domestic airlines’ access to aircraft.
The company will operate as a privately funded and managed Special Purpose Vehicle with strategic government backing.
Air Peace’s September expansion reflects the broader increase in scheduled capacity across Nigeria’s aviation market.
